Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore latest: Astronauts returning to Earth after nine months stuck in space
21:16:21
Deorbit burn has started
It's expected to take seven minutes - with four thrusters at the top of the capsule firing.
The capsule has not yet re-entered the Earth's atmosphere.
This burn is to make sure the capsule lands where NASA and SpaceX want it to - off the coast of Florida.
The Dragon capsule is "flying itself", SpaceX say, with Crew 9 not having to do anything.
21:14:21
How long will it take to collect the astronauts from the water off Florida?
As we explained earlier, it's going to be around 10pm UK time - 9.57pm exactly - when the Dragon capsule splashes into the sea off of Florida.
The presenters of the NASA/SpaceX coverage have just explained it could take an hour to retrieve the astronauts from the capsule in the water later.
21:10:18
Deorbit under way - and 'trunk jettisoned' from Dragon capsule
The spacecraft bringing Crew 9 back to Earth has begun the process of deorbit, which we touched on in our last post.
A "trunk" - used to generate solar power while in space - has been separated from the capsule and jettisoned.
This exposes the heat shield, ready for re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
The trunk is no longer needed for power as the craft heads back to Earth.
21:02:13
Inside Dragon Freedom
Here's a snapshot inside the Dragon Freedom spacecraft.
We're about five minutes away from the "deorbit" procedure - the process of deliberately lowering the craft's orbit height, so it starts to re-enter the atmosphere.
You can watch along at the top of this page. We'll also bring you updates as we get them.
20:56:01
Will the stranded astronauts have been paid overtime during their unexpected long stay in space?
We're all wondering how the astronauts might feel on their return to Earth - but will they be any better off than they were expecting to be?
On the first question, former astronaut Terry Virts said in an interview today the two "overwhelming sensations" on returning to Earth are feeling heavy and dizziness.
Virts once served with Barry Wilmore and the pair did spacewalks on a previous mission to space.
"You just feel really, really, really heavy. I felt like my helmet weighed 500lbs," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
On the dizziness, he added: "Your brain is going 'what just happened'. There used to be gravity, then there wasn't gravity for six months, now all of a sudden there's gravity."
'It will just be part of their standard pay'
Astronomer Jennifer Miller also spoke to the station and answered a burning question from a listener - whether or not astronauts get overtime pay.
"It will just be part of their standard pay," Miller explained.
"When you're testing out these new capsules, although the plan is to just be up there for eight days, 10 days, a fortnight, something like that, it's not guaranteed because it's a test - you don't know how it's going to go.
"It is all just part and parcel of the job.
"They're not coming back to any big compensation payout or anything like that."
I guess spending time in space - and having an unbeatable anecdote - is enough of a perk for Wilmore and Williams...
20:46:03
Watch: Moment trapped astronauts finally leave space station for home
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finally left the International Space Station to return home last night.
A SpaceX capsule had transported four astronauts to the International Space Station on Sunday in a NASA crew-swap.
Watch footage from the departure from the ISS below:
20:35:22
Why were the astronauts stranded in space?
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams blasted off to the ISS on 5 June, and were meant to be up there for just eight days.
They were testing out Boeing's long-awaited Starliner, a ship designed to rival SpaceX's Crew Dragon that is currently used to ferry astronauts into space.
But by the time they docked at the ISS, the Starliner had suffered major problems - with five helium leaks, five dead manoeuvring thrusters and a propellant valve that failed to close completely.
It returned to Earth without them, after it was decided the astronauts would be safer waiting in orbit.
Since then, the two US Navy veterans have completed spacewalks, experiments and even helped sort out the plumbing onboard.
The astronauts have repeatedly said they have enjoyed the mission, with Williams describing the space station as her "happy place".
"Every day is interesting because we're up in space and it's a lot of fun," she said earlier this month, although she added the waiting was likely hard for family members on the ground.
The SpaceX vehicle taking them home arrived at the space station in September, carrying NASA's Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, along with two empty seats.
Wilmore and Williams then stuck around so that the other two astronauts could complete their mission, although their return was once more delayed because of problems with the SpaceX rocket that was going to bring them back.
20:31:33
Good evening
Hello and welcome to our live coverage, as we await the return of two NASA astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station for nine months.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set to splash down off the coast of Florida shortly before 10pm UK time - it's scheduled for 9.57pm, to be exact.
It will follow a 17-hour trip after a replacement crew arrived on the space station on Saturday night.
We'll be bringing you live updates on their long-awaited return. Stay tuned.
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